"Burden has been lifted from earth": Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta after two Naxalites killed in encounter

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], May 25 (ANI): Jharkhand Director General of Police Anurag Gupta said that "a burden has been lifted from the earth" after dreaded Naxal leader Pappu Lohra and zonal commander Prabhat Ganjhu were killed in an encounter with police in Latehar district.
Lohra, the chief of the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), had nearly 100 criminal cases against him and carried a Rs 10 lakh reward on his head.
Speaking to the mediapersons on Saturday, Jharkhand DG Anurag Gupta said, "Pappu Lohra, who has been killed today, had almost 100 cases against him, in which he also murdered a Deputy Commandant of CRPF... He has murdered many people and looted the land of many people in Latehar... A burden has been lifted from the earth. Our soldiers have done a very good job... Our district police team has carried out this entire operation on its own, and a top criminal whom we would not even call a Naxalite has been killed... Two Naxalites have been killed and one has been captured... Our injured soldier is now out of danger. He is very brave..."
Earlier on Saturday, in a significant victory for security forces in Jharkhand, two Naxal leaders from the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) group, including its chief Pappu Lohra and zonal commander Prabhat Ganjhu, were neutralised by Jharkhand Police in Latehar district.
The encounter, which took place during a search operation, resulted in the death of both leaders, who were carrying bounties of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively. Police also recovered arms and ammunition from the site.
Amol Vinukant Homkar, IG Operations of Jharkhand Police, confirmed the operation's success, calling it a "big day" in the region's ongoing battle against Naxalism.
Speaking to ANI, Homkar said, "It's a big day for all the security forces working in Jharkhand to eliminate Naxalism. JJMP Naxal group - along with its Supremo Pappu Lohra - were gathered in Latehar PS area for inducing violence."
"A police team was in a search operation in the forest area when the Naxal group opened fire - the police retaliated, and the encounter went on for a long time. Police later searched the area, where two bodies were recovered and another Naxal was injured," he said.
Adding further, he stated, "The bodies were identified as Pappu Lohra - the chief of the Naxal group, and he has an award of Rs 10 lakh on his head; and of Prabhat Ganjhu, the zonal commander of the Naxal group carrying an award of Rs 5 lakh on his head. The police also recovered arms and ammunition from the site." (ANI)